The Magic Of Dreams
by Gemkat5
Summary: An odd twist of fate allows Sarah to experience the dreams she gave up. But what happens to her dreams when she starts falling for the Goblin King? Will she be forced to once again relinquish her dreams or will she deny Jareth for a second time?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed.

Summary: An odd twist of fate allows Sarah to experience the dreams she gave up. But what happens to her dreams when she starts falling for the Goblin King? Will she be forced to once again relinquish her dreams or will she deny Jareth for a second time?

The Magic Of Dreams

Chapter One

Sarah had been in her own apartment for six months now. It was complete with a small kitchen, a smaller bathroom with only a toilet and shower unit, and a living room that doubled as a bedroom. It had one closet that was too narrow to even hold a door, the small area of carpet was almost thread bare, and the kitchen sink dripped constantly. But, it also had a small balcony, which connected to the much larger apartment next door and was also the second reason Sarah took the place, the first being the reasonable rent.

But, it was hers. All hers. It was practical, located only two blocks from school and work, and she could afford it. To Sarah, it was the grand master of apartments, despite having to leave most of her belongings behind. But, that was okay, too, because most of her belongings were nothing but space filling junk anyway. If it had been up to Sarah, she would have sold most of it, but Karen had insisted on keeping the boxed stuff in the attic.

This apartment was also her achievement for breaking free from under her father's roof, and Karen's scrutiny. They had sent Toby to boarding school while she attended the community college, and had refused to pay for her to live on campus, or even help her financially at all. Working at the local diner across from campus, she was finally earning enough money to be on her own, though she didn't have a phone, or a computer, and luckily didn't need a car. Nope, Sarah Williams' life had become hum-drum and practical. Everyone kept telling her to grow up and get her head out of the clouds, and one day, that's exactly what she had done.

The connecting apartment was occupied by a recently divorced woman with two kids. Her husband had left them for another woman, leaving Jody flat on her back after she lost the house, and everything else. Sarah didn't ask what Jody did for a living, but she knew it involved expensive clothes and nightly hours. Sarah had no right to judge, and refused to think anything wrongly towards the lady. She had a pleasant personality, and was always kind to Sarah, going so far as to share food with her sometimes.

Jody relied strongly on her daughter, Tina, during these hard times. Tina was fifteen and reminded Sarah of herself at that age. Tina was expected to at least get passing grades in school, keep the apartment straightened up, and make meals for her little brother, Mikey. And Tina resented every waking moment of her life.

Sarah would often hear the girl crying out on the balcony, wishing she was someone else, somewhere else, or simply having never been born at all. Sarah knew just how she felt. Then, one night in particular, after Jody and Tina had had another mother/daughter shouting match, Sarah had decided to try and help. She cautiously went to her double glass pained doors at the balcony, and tapped on the glass from the inside of her apartment to get Tina's attention. The girl had looked up, her eyes puffy and red, yelled 'fuck you' at her, and disappeared into their apartment, slamming their own set of doubled glass doors. Yea, Sarah totally remembered being like that.

Sarah sunk down in her old garage sale lounge chair, that doubled as her bed when she made it lay flat. She reminisced back six years ago, when nobody could tell her anything, either. Not even a King had been able to truly make her see reason, though he had definitely left an imprint on her. Sarah smiled wistfully, a touch of nostalgia nagging at her insides. She often wondered what the Goblin King would have done if she hadn't said those final words. But those thoughts were just as fanciful as wondering what would have happened if her mom had never left. Would she have called the Goblin King if her own mom had been the one who had had another baby? Sarah wondered, what if she had called the goblin King in a fanciful way, would he have come to her for different reasons? What if she had never heard of the Goblin King, or his labyrinth, would she still have matured as quickly as she had after that experience?

Sarah sighed deeply, and mentally shrugged. It didn't matter. She had said what was said, she had done what she had done. She had won the game and returned home to grow up, get a job, go to college, and long for those days gone by when she could dress up, and run through the park in her own fanciful mind. When she had dreamed of things with such vivid clarity, that she often wondered if Jareth had actually been real or just a figment of her imagination.

Mikey's bawling at the top of his lungs broke Sarah from her reverie. Tina was yelling at him to shut the fuck up, which didn't do anything except make the two years old cry even harder. "I hate you!" Sarah heard Tina scream, sounding as though her vocal chords would snap. With a sad sigh, Sarah rose from her comfy spot to go get her headphones and listen to music to block out the screaming noise from next door.

She learned the hard way not to get involved during these times. Her trying to help wasn't appreciated at all by the teenaged girl, so Sarah ignored the goings on from the other side of the wall as much as possible. Tina wouldn't actually hurt her brother, no more than Sarah would have ever hurt Toby, and after the teen screamed out her rage she would coddle the baby, and soothe him in loving arms until he fell asleep. Until then, Sarah turned a deaf ear to the noise with some music, while burying her nose in a book.

It wasn't until a flash of lightening caught Sarah's attention that she 'felt' something in the air. Her skin prickled as she dropped her book with distraction and slowly rose from her chair, taking the headphones off to warily move towards the balcony doors. She hadn't felt a sensation like this since… since being in the Goblin King's presence.

"No," Sarah whispered with dread, surging forward to the balcony doors. Pushing them open, she could hear Tina shouting from inside their apartment, the glass balcony doors on their side were wide open. A harsh wind blew, seemingly only on their balcony, and the rumble of thunder accompanied another flash of lightening.

"Please, I didn't mean it!" Tina yelled in fear, then saw Sarah as she came to stand in the doorway behind the frightening being who had taken her little brother. "Sarah! Help me! He took Mikey! I didn't mean it, I swear, I didn't mean it!"

The Goblin King slowly turned to meet the gaze of someone he never expected to see again. He narrowed his eyes threateningly to hide his surprise as she stepped into the dim lit room. Her hair blew all around her face in the wind, her eyes held his with as much disbelief as he himself felt.

"What's said is said!" Jareth stated forcibly, his voice booming above the storm, pointing at Sarah. He took a dramatic step to the side as Sarah slowly stepped forward, gazing up at him with green eyes full of wonder, and longing.

"Sarah," Tina cried out in warning. "Don't get too close! He's dangerous!"

"Yes," Jareth purred menacingly. "I can be very frightening, can't I, Sarah?"

"Only when you're feeling generous, I'm sure," she replied, taking in his ageless appearance with sad appreciative eyes. He had been real. She hadn't imagined him. Something deep within Sarah awakened with excitement, a feeling Sarah hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Tell him to give me back my brother!" Tina demanded of Sarah from across the room.

"Release the baby," Sarah stated softly, pausing merely a pace before the king.

"You have no say in the matter, Sarah," he stated forcibly. "Go back to your lonely existence and forget you have ever seen me."

"I can't," Sarah insisted in a quiet tone, her heart burning with the rush of blood from the sight of him. "I know these people. Her mother works hard everyday to provide for her kids. She loves them very much. I won't let you destroy the little bit she has left."

"You won't let me, you say!" Jareth repeated, tilting his head back and laughed at her. He then suddenly met her gaze with coldness in his eyes, pointing at her accusingly. "You have no power here!"

"Yes, I do," she stated calmly, stepping closer to him, feeling mesmerized by him all over again, just as she had years before. "I can feel it. I felt you the moment you appeared here. It was your presence that called to me, not Tina's cries for help."

"The words were spoken," Jareth declared, casually stepping away from her. "She must defeat the labyrinth to get the child back, just as you had done six years ago!"

"Sarah! You know who he is?" Tina asked in a raised hysterical voice, still cowering against the far wall of the living room.

"Sarah knows me very well, don't you, dear girl?" Jareth answered whimsically, retaining his eye contact with Sarah's.

"Let me go instead," Sarah requested, taking a rushed step closer to him.

He leaned his upper body back slightly, but kept his feet firmly in place. "It doesn't work that way."

"I wish it to…"

"Stop!" he barked at her forcibly, closing the space between them to hover over her intimidatingly. "Say no more! The girl must fulfill her obligation, what's said is said, nothing can alter that," he told her in a steady voice, his tone hinted of regret. He would love to have Sarah back in his labyrinth, but he refused to be at such a disadvantage as to give in to her demands so easily.

"I agree with you," Sarah stated evenly, shocking Jareth enough to take a full step back from her. "She must find her own way through the labyrinth."

"What?!" Tina yelled incredulously. "I thought you were trying to help me!" she accused hotly.

"I am helping you," Sarah stated, never taking her eyes from Jareth. "Defeating the labyrinth was the first step for my growing up. But, I wasn't asking to take Tina's place, Goblin King, I was asking to take Mikey's. Though, the child needs to be cared for until Jody returns home from work."

"You have no idea what you ask," Jareth accused incredulously. "I no longer desire your affections," he lied convincingly. "Another has gained my favor since your rejection of me."

"I'm not talking about that," she whispered. "I miss it, Jareth. Can't you understand that I miss the fantasy, the magic, the wonder of your world?" She licked at suddenly dry lips. "I miss the freedom of dreaming, of the mysteries of an imagination. I've grown up too much, Goblin King. Please, let me see it just once more." Her eyes suddenly lit with dawning, and she lifted her chin ever so slightly. "Give me back the hours you have stolen from me, Goblin King."

His lips curled up as though he was about to laugh again, but the sound never came out. His features sharpened with contemplation, his eyes bore into hers intimidatingly, as he tilted his head slightly with serious regard. "And what would I gain from such an act of generosity, if I were to consider it?"

Sarah smiled sinisterly, her eyes alight with victory. "I would grant you one request, without question or argument, during my time in your kingdom."

He was about to reiterate that he had no interest in her, nor anything she could offer him, but the foolishness of that decision was plain in his mind. The corners of his lips curled, matching her expression perfectly. "You are not to interfere with the girl, or her brother in any way."

"Agreed, but the baby returns home to his mother whether Tina wins or not."

"Then, you would remain in his place if she fails," he stated assertively.

"Yes."

"Sarah, what the hell are you doing?" Tina yelled, pushing from the wall slightly. "You're not helping at all!"

"On the contrary, she is helping considerably," Jareth informed the younger teen, holding Sarah's steady gaze. "Close your eyes, Sarah, and remember any part of my labyrinth."

Tina gasped as she watched Sarah vanish with a simple wave of the Goblin King's hand over her. He then turned his mystical eyes towards the teen, causing her to back up into the wall once more. "It's time to find out how much you didn't mean your words, Tina."

XxXxX

Hoggle hopped around the garden at the outer wall, spraying fairies with his poison spray can. "Seventy-four!" he exclaimed happily as another dreadful winged one fell to the ground. He only had twenty-six more to spray to reach his quota for the day. Then he would be summoned to assist another wisher into the labyrinth.

He briefly wondered what was taking so long, Jareth sure was taking his time bringing the girl into the Underground. Then he felt a shimmer within the Labyrinth, as did every creature in the kingdom, announcing the presence of a mortal. "Now what'd he put her inside for?" he wondered, completely perplexed by this strangeness. Then he felt another shimmer, along with the Labyrinth's magical breath that the King had returned. Hoggle paused from his task to peer up towards the hill with the dead tree. "If that's the king with the girl, then who entered the Labyrinth?" He wondered briefly, scratching his head. He shrugged, then turned his spray can just in time to squirt a fairy that was heading towards his face. "Seventy-five!"

XxXxX

Sarah opened her eyes to find herself in the hedge maze where she had previously met the Wiseman. It wasn't exactly where she wanted to be, but it was one of the only places that she could picture clearly in her mind. She was simply grateful that Jareth hadn't sent her to the bog, nothing had ever dulled the memory of that place.

Not sure if she was supposed to wait for the Goblin King or not, she leisurely roamed in the near vicinity, taking in everything all over again. Only this time she could appreciate how beautiful it was here. The marble flag stones, the architecture of the statues, the feeling of tranquility. She could feel the magic of this world in the very air, and closed her eyes to breath it in deeply. She ran her fingertips along a nearby hedge, and smiled at the velvety feel of it as a tingling sensation spread through her fingers, and up her arms.

"What are your intentions, Sarah," Jareth asked abruptly, after appearing nearby. She was practically glowing, reveling in her surroundings when he had appeared to confront her. Her expression was that of pure bliss as she breathed in the air, absorbing the very life source around her. It had given Jareth pause to simply watch her for a brief moment. She had matured beautifully, though he had noticed some faint lines around her mouth and eyes. Lines that told him she led a stressful life, continuing to battle hardships well beyond his labyrinth.

She gasped in surprise, and spun around to face him, opening her eyes to meet his. Clearing her throat, she leveled her chin and strode across the stone path to stand with him near a statue. "I wanted to see this place once more, before I completely lost all memory of it."

He studied her intently with curiosity. Her eyes sparkled with renewed wonder as she openly took in his appearance. He had changed his clothing from his black armor and cloak to a much more casual attire. His blue pants fit his lean form snugly, his cream shirt was loose fitting and open at the neck, showing his medallion proudly. His black vest and boots completed the ensemble.

"I noticed you had to think a bit for me to bring you here," he remarked casually, moving to lean his back against the statue, resting the heel of his boot on the pillared base. "Surely you have no regrets for refusing my offer."

She smiled sadly with a brief, soft chuckle. "Every time something went wrong in my life I thought of you, Goblin King," she admitted fondly. "Every time Toby was being difficult, and I was trying to study. Every time I didn't get my way, or ended up being sent to my room, you were right there, foremost in my mind, as the biggest regret I'll ever have." She lowered her gaze and wet her lips as she continued. "But I learned to deal with the harsh realities of life. I traded my afternoons in the park, fantasizing, for an exhausting job that pays little and works me to the bone. I accepted that my mother would never come back, and didn't want me in her life except during vacations." She glanced around her dreamily, her eyes glazing over. "At some point I stopped dreaming all together, Goblin King, but I never forgot coming here."

Finally, she met his gaze once more, her eyes focusing with sincerity. "My only intention is to dream again, and feel the wonder of this place before my life consumes all memory of it."

"I haven't the desire to offer you anything," he stated haughtily, almost sneeringly, at the memory of her scorning him.

"I didn't expect that you would," she replied quietly, letting her eyes drift closed with suddenly heavy lids. "I… I smell… peaches."

Jareth moved instinctively to catch her as she started to crumple to the ground. Peering down at her with confusion as she went completely limp in his arms. "Oh, dear," he voiced, his mind working quickly to think of what caused her to faint. He glanced around the area, knowing she hadn't left this particular spot, towards the hedges that she had been touching. He even took several deep breaths to gage the air for some clue, but not one thing seemed to be amiss.

He gathered her up in his arms, noticing how pale she had become. He remembered how she seemed to glow when he had first appeared, and frowned. With a simple thought, a stone bench appeared nearby. With another thought, cushions appeared for him to lie her upon them.

'_Peaches_?' he thought with confusion, standing beside her with his arms crossed thoughtfully. '_The only peaches in the kingdom are in my private orchards_.'

The sudden piercing screams of the wisher, Tina, were magically transmitted to him. He held his hand up and gazed into the crystal that appeared at his fingertips. The girl was being tormented by dozens of brownies. She swatted at the small human-like figures as they climbed her clothes and pinched her skin, one hung dangerously from the loop earring at the girl's lobe. With a deep sigh, Jareth left Sarah to assist the girl. Brownies could prove very dangerous, despite their size, when in such large numbers, and that was a hardship no wisher deserved.

XxXxX

Sarah slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the blaring sunlight. Raising herself up on her elbow, she almost fell off the bench, thinking she had been lying on the ground, and adjusted her balance. Swinging her legs to the side, she sat in confusion for a few minutes, not remembering what she had been doing before falling asleep.

Glancing around she recognized her surroundings as those from the Labyrinth, and not her balcony as she had first thought. Then, the memory of seeing Jareth again, and Tina wishing Mikey away came back to her. "He let me come back," she mused aloud, not remembering her arrival or speaking with Jareth near the statue at all.

Feeling like she was given a second chance, she bolted from the bench and ran through the hedge maze, surprisingly finding her way out of it with remarkable swiftness. But it wasn't the castle she was running towards, that was Tina's quest this time. No, Sarah ran towards an area east of the castle, where she could see mountains in the distance and hoped to find canyons as well.

Once away from the confusing mazes, Sarah ran as fast as her feet would carry her. She had no idea how much time Jareth would give her in his world, and she wanted to try something before it was too late. She wanted to dream to the fullest extent, and maybe, just maybe, never have to turn back again. With her heart pumping fast, her lungs pumping air in great gasps, she ran faster and faster as the landscape flattened out before her.

She pushed herself to run harder, feeling the rush of blood through her veins, the exhilaration of feeling alive and free from everything that had weighed her down for the past few years. She barely felt her feet touch the ground as the wind whistled past her ears, her hair flying free behind her. Her eyes watered with the rush of air, but she refused to blink, to miss one second of this euphoria.

She saw the landscape changing ahead, the craggy edges that foretold of a canyon or a chasm separating the flatlands from the mountainous terrain on the other side. Veering herself in that direction she laughed with pure elation, the feeling of absolute happiness consumed her as she ran onward. She quickly approached the edge of the landscape, amazed at how fast she was running, how it felt like she was flying for real. She closed her eyes and spread her arms out wide as her feet left solid ground.

XxXxX

Jareth returned to the hedge maze only to find Sarah gone. With a small gesture, and a simple thought, a crystal appeared to show him exactly where she had gone. He watched in utter amazement at first, mesmerized at how blissful she looked as she ran across the grassy flats. Her face was flushed, her sea green eyes sparkled with life as he had never seen them before. But, instead of slowing her pace as she neared the chasm, her speed increased.

He was frozen in place, his eyes glued to the image in his orb. "Sarah, stop," he whispered, his heart filling with dread. He took irregular, uneven breaths as her legs became unseen blurs, her pace quickening beyond any normal mortal.

"No!" he shouted, and vanished to appear at the edge of the chasm just as she left solid ground. He would save her, somehow! He would not allow her to fall to her death! But, as he watched her body fall through the air, her laugh echoed off the chasm walls, titillating and sweet, as her arms spread out wide. She twisted her body, as though soaring like a bird as she fell into the deep chasm.

Jareth dove from the edge after her, changing himself into his owl form as he plummeted downward. He increased his owl size by great proportions, making himself strong enough to be able to grab her in his talons. Reaching out for her, he suddenly had to draw back, flapping his great wings backwards to put space between himself and Sarah, as she changed into an eagle right before his very eyes.

With a piercing shriek of pure elation, the eagle turned her beak up to the skies and effortlessly gained altitude. Jareth found a ledge to perch upon, turning his head backwards and up to watch her, ignoring how the sun hurt his eyes.

Sarah flew straight up into the sun to hover breathlessly in mid air, feeling the crisp wind on her face along with the warm rays from above. Suddenly, she turned her body to face downward, tucked her wings tight against her body, and bulleted towards the ground in a blur of motion. Her eagle keen eyesight told her when she needed to pull up and flap her wings, crying out with jubilation as she once again gained altitude.

After her third aerial ballet, she noticed the large white owl clutching the side of the cliff face, watching her intently with mismatched eyes. She cried in regret, her sadness rang clear within the eagle's shrieks as she headed towards the flatlands with a lowered head. She didn't want to stop flying, not yet, it was too soon! But he came for her, and a deal was a deal. He let her come back, and she was able to live a dream. But, it was time to go home, again.

Just as she flew lower over the ground the great owl suddenly whooshed past from her left side, making her pull up and flap her wings to remain in the air. He screeched at her in warning, flying past again from below to make her rise higher in the air. He didn't want her to land!

Sarah turned her head and landed her eagle eyes upon him, tilting her head to the side curiously. He screeched at her once more, flapping his great wings to propel his huge form towards her threateningly. She launched herself straight up into the sky, somehow knowing he couldn't fly in such a manner, and glanced back down at him from under her wing.

Once she was high in the sky, the owl turned inland, shrinking in size as he neared the ground, until finally it was the Goblin King standing at the edge of the chasm peering up at her with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

Sarah circled high above him, barely having to use her wings to keep her altitude. He pointed towards the sun, the horizon, and then in the direction of his castle before he vanished from her sight completely. Feeling elated once more, she shrieked happily, and continued her aerial acrobats until the sun drew close to the horizon.

Feeling more at peace with herself than she had ever felt before, Sarah flew inland towards the castle beyond the goblin city. It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea if she could change back again. Her heart swelled with the possibility that she might not be able to.

XxXxX

She soared around the castle, swooping down upon the goblins laughingly as they ran screaming and scurried for shelter. This was the most fun she had ever had in her life!

"Sarah," Jareth's voice called to her, sounding tired with a touch of boredom.

Gaining the wind beneath her wings, she rose higher in the air to soar through an open arched window of the castle, following his call. Once inside she shrieked at all the goblins in the throne room, making them run in circles, banging into each other, and knocking things down.

Jareth rose from his throne as she circled the room, turning her head to keep him within her sight. He stepped down and pointed to the royal chair. "Perch here for now," he commanded in a weary voice. She did as he commanded, chasing a frightened goblin as she soared leisurely to land. She turned her head to look back at him, waiting for him to tell her what her fate would be.

"I haven't the strength to change you back at this moment," he explained to her. He reseated himself upon the cushions sideways, hanging his legs over the arm of the throne.

She shifted herself to turn around and face him properly, it was his throne after all. She looked upon him with her crisp vision, clearly seeing how exhausted he was as he slouched in his seat. He bent an elbow to rest his head in his palm on the back of the chair, and closed his eyes. Baffled by his disregard of her presence, she ruffled her feathers to gain his attention, but he merely quirked an arched brow in response, then fell into a light slumber.

She glanced around the room with her eagle vision, opening her beak threateningly as a horde of goblins stalked upon her with various weapons. Regretting her actions of scaring them so badly, Sarah made her way down the back of the throne with claws and beak, feeling more like a parrot than an eagle, and gently placed herself in the space between the backing of the throne and Jareth's side.

He moved his hand from his stomach, and placed his palm gently upon her feathered back. Feeling more at ease with the protection of the king, she settled herself deeper in her space and closed her eyes to rest.

XxXxX

Sarah awoke to see the vibrant colors of sunrise pouring in through the windows. With a waking breath, she turned her head to the side and stretched languidly, realizing a few things all at once. One being that she had limbs again, which meant that she had changed back to being human. Another, was that she was lying in a soft bed with silky soft sheets and this was definitely not the throne room. And the last thing that she noticed was the king lying on his stomach next to her, his body naked from the waist up, his lower half covered with a sheet.

Taking another deep sigh, she closed her eyes again, and relished the feeling of contentment that still coursed throughout her being. She had never felt so free as she had while she was flying. It had literally been a dream come true.

He stirred beside her, causing her to open her eyes and look over at him. He stretched his back slightly, breathing in deeply before regarding her with alert piercing eyes. Seeing that she had awoken, he closed his eyes again, and took another deep breath.

"You didn't send me home," Sarah remarked quietly, her voice sounding groggy from sleep. She cleared her throat and turned onto her side, realizing that she didn't have anything covering her except the sheets. "Where are my clothes?"

"You owe me a request, if you remember correctly," he replied, his voice deep from sleep as well. "And I haven't a clue as to where your clothes are. You changed to your natural form shortly after falling asleep by my side, your clothing was not with you."

"Oh," she remarked thoughtfully, frowning as she remembered running off the cliff, and falling, and the overwhelming feeling of freedom as she envisioned herself changing into an eagle and soared high in the skies. "Jareth?" she addressed, meeting his eyes intently. "Do you appreciate the gift you have, to be able to fly?"

He regarded her skeptically for a moment, not expecting her to simply ignore so many other things at this time. "Occasionally, yes."

"You shouldn't take it for granted," she stated wistfully. "Every time you change you should let yourself feel the wind on your face," she told him dreamily, closing her eyes and rolling to her back. "Feel the freedom, Jareth. Of nothing holding you back, of having no restrictions weighing you down. Soar so high that you can see the horizon all around you." She opened her eyes suddenly and lurched onto her side once more, catching him by surprise with her sudden movement. "Have you ever felt the exhilaration when you dive straight down, feeling the wind burn your eyes, and take the breath right from your lungs?"

"I have," he answered cautiously, letting his eyes dart over her features as she excitedly relived her experience. Her breaths came out in short pants, her eyes shone like sea green gems, her flesh flushed enticingly. She smiled at him, a genuine smile that reached her eyes, and touched his heart.

Jareth realized with a start that it was never the boy that the labyrinth had wanted to stay, it had been his older sister. The girl who had vivid dreams beyond those of others her age. The girl who had touched every creature she had come in contact with in his kingdom. The girl whom he had offered everything to on a whim.

"Thank you," she said to him with such heartfelt sincerity that it choked the breath from his throat. "For bringing me back and letting me dream again."

"I wasn't…" Jareth started to reply, but stopped. He was about to tell her that it wasn't him that had let her live her dream, but the very labyrinth. That is why Sarah had fainted after absorbing the magic in the very air. She had consumed so much of it by breathing it in, by letting the labyrinth feed it to her through her fingers, that it had overwhelmed her mortal senses. He rose from the bed by the other side, keeping a sheet with him for propriety's sake.

"You owe me a request!" he reminded her, pointing at her with a fixed gaze. "I have upheld my word and returned the child to his mother. The girl, Tina, had failed to reach the castle."

"Then, I'm to stay here," Sarah remarked, her tone somewhere between elated and fearful, as she stared unseeingly at the bed sheets. She raised her eyes to meet his. "What is your request?"

He saw the uncertainty fill her eyes as she met his, and after seeing her smile, he despised the way she now gazed upon him. "I haven't decided yet," he told her haughtily, with his chin raised high. "Your terms clearly stated that you would grant me one request, without question or argument, during your time in my kingdom." He smiled at her pleasantly. "I've got forever to decide what I would request of you."

She dropped her gaze thoughtfully, contemplating what to say next. "So now what?" she asked, looking up at him. "What do I do now?"

"Whatever you want," he replied simply, shrugging nonchalantly. "You are a denizen of the Labyrinth now. You are free to wander my kingdom as you like." He leaned forward, his fisted hands resting on the bedding as he met her eyes intently. "You are forbidden, however, to assist a wisher, in any way, while they are in my labyrinth. You are to stay within the boundaries of my labyrinth at all times, and you are to return to the castle by sunset each evening."

"You're kidding me?" she asked with mild incredulousness. "Sunset? You're giving me a curfew?"

He straightened his back to regard her stiffly. "They are easy rules to adhere by, and they are for your own protection. I care not what you do while within the castle, simply do as I say and you will have naught to fear."

She stared at him in silent contemplation, her eyes diverting towards the window at Jareth's back. "But, otherwise, I'm allowed to do whatever I want?"

"Within the laws of my kingdom, yes," he answered carefully, noticing how her gaze drifted toward the window behind him. He had expected her to be embarrassed by waking up in his bed, which she hadn't been. He had expected her to be mortified at finding herself naked in his presence. Again, he had been disappointed by her nonchalance. He had expected her to at least ask on behalf of the wisher and child that had brought her back into his life, yet she hadn't. All she seemed to care about was living a dream that had obviously burned deeply within her, deep enough for the labyrinth to grant her the power to change her very form.

"Am I allowed to have a room? A bed? Maybe some clothes?" she questioned politely, raising herself to one elbow while holding the sheet over her chest with her other arm.

"Of course," he replied, stepping way from her to head towards his closet. "I will see to all of your needs, Sarah, as long as I have your obedience." He paused to look over his shoulder at her. "But, defy me, and you will find out how cruel I am capable of being."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to those of you who gave a review! Sorry I can't reply to each one individually, but please, don't let that stop you from sharing your views! I hope you continue to enjoy the story. ~Kat~

The Magic Of Dreams

Chapter Two

The shadow of a dragon glided over the goblin city, causing the goblins to look up to the skies. She was sleek and powerful, her scales were black and shone like obsidian against the rising sun. The undersides of her wings were purple with yellow and red markings, her tail was pointed, like the end of a spear, and deadlier than her razor sharp claws.

She swooped down upon the city, breaking the morning silence with her resounding roar, her sea green eyes shone brightly as the denizens ran for cover. Gathering her wings, she pulled the wind beneath her and gained altitude, roaring in delight as she flew out over the Labyrinth. The goblins came out of their hiding places, and went about their daily routine, grateful that she wasn't in a fire-breathing mood this day.

It had been three years since the king had brought the dreamer back with him, and every morning she would soar the skies from sunrise to sunset, choosing a different form, seemingly at random, each day. Whether she be a dragon or a griffin, sometimes a phoenix or a hydra, she was always a creature that ruled the skies. Only after sunset would she return to her human form, share her meal with the king, and often lose herself in the king's library. But sometimes, though not too often, it was said that the dreamer and the king would spend private time together, though no one in the goblin city knew exactly what that meant.

Sarah saw Jareth appear on the hill with her keen eyesight as the labyrinth sighed with his return. He had gone to retrieve another wisher to run the labyrinth. It was a teenaged boy this time, and as she watched Jareth explain the rules of the game, Sarah got a strange feeling from the boy. Realizing just in time that she was quickly approaching the bordering walls of the Labyrinth, she turned into the wind and flew out towards the canyons.

She'd discovered that she could change into any creature she desired every morning, and took full advantage of it. Jareth had watched her closely at first, and she hadn't held it against him. He had been true to his word, and had provided for her very amply, but this new found freedom to soar the skies was insatiable to her, and with her desire to continue living her dream, she did her best to abide the rules and simply stay out of the Goblin King's way.

But, with every creature she chose to become, came the instincts and attributes of that creature. Today, as she soared as a mighty dragon, her instincts told her that the boy was hiding something. There was a darkness surrounding him that Sarah had never sensed in a wisher before, and decided to keep an eye on this one. Jareth had told her not to interfere, he never said anything about simply watching. She circled the mountain range, and played in the drafts of the canyon for a while before heading back towards the labyrinth to see how far the boy had gotten on his journey.

Sarah caught sight of the boy long before he was aware of her flying overhead. Just as she drew closer she witnessed him pull out a switch-blade and grab a handful of the very eyes of the Labyrinth. Without hesitation she tucked in her wings and swooped down upon him, announcing her presence with a resounding roar that echoed halfway across the kingdom.

XxXxX

"Your Majesty!" the head sergeant of the goblin army bellowed frantically as he raced through the castle. "Your Majesty! Your…" Finally seeing the king at the end of a corridor, the goblin sergeant ran quickly to catch up. "Your Majesty!"

"What is it, Goffrey?" Jareth retorted with impatience.

"It's the dreamer, your Majesty!" he exclaimed urgently. "She's attacking the wisher running the Labyrinth!"

"What?" Jareth exclaimed with both disbelief and horror. He had noticed her flying as a dragon that morning, a little too close to the bordering wall for his liking, but she had circled back and went on her way. "Are you certain? She's never bothered the wishers before."

"Yes, your Majesty." Then added in a cautious voice. "Unless you know of another black dragon with green eyes, Sire?"

Without wasting another second, Jareth disappeared from the corridor and appeared in the outer passage of the Labyrinth. The boy had barely gotten inside the walls, why would Sarah go after him? So far she had barely annoyed Jareth at all, which was actually annoying to the Goblin King, but none the less, she had always steered clear of the wishers previously.

Jareth stood behind Sarah, watching how she stalked the boy, making him walk backwards with his hands up and rambling for his life as he shook with pure terror. Her head was low to the ground, her wings tucked tightly against her body to fit in the narrow passage, and her tail sliced the air with agitation.

"Sarah," he called in a collected sing song voice.

She stopped advancing on the boy and pulled her head up short, turning it on her long sleek neck to look back at him. Her eyes cleared of the fury he had seen in them when she had first turned her head. She snorted softly, a small waft of smoke escaped her nostrils, telling Jareth exactly how irritated she had become.

She faced forward again as the boy screamed for the Goblin King to help him, to save his life. She gathered herself like a cat ready to pounce, every muscle in her body moved in one fluid motion as she suddenly lurched herself high into the air, flapping her wings only once before turning to land behind the boy, trapping him between herself and the Goblin King. With a stomp of her foot, and another smoky snort, she spurred the boy to run towards Jareth, closing the gap with slow precise movements.

"You never said anything about dragons!" the boy screamed, reaching Jareth in a panicked run. "There were no dragons in that book!"

Jareth ignored the boy for the moment and watched Sarah carefully, intently, as she continued to come closer. She halted suddenly, her eyes never leaving the teen, glaring at him with fury, and flicked one sharpened claw with purposeful precision along the stone. Jareth heard the distinct sound of metal sliding on stone, and dropped his gaze towards the ground.

"What is that?" he asked rhetorically, though his tone hinted of curiosity. He looked up at Sarah, his chin rising arrogantly. "Return to the castle," he commanded her evenly.

She pulled her head up high on her elegant neck and backed up a step, her eyes full of surprise. Lowering her head slightly, she stomped her clawed foot, snorting with defiance as her eyes grew darker. Why should she be punished when the boy was the one who had done wrong? Or almost had anyway.

"You honestly don't expect '_him'_ to tell me what he's done, do you?" Jareth quipped in an indignant tone, fully understanding her indignance of being sent to the castle.

Sarah turned baleful eyes on the boy once more, extending her foreleg while lowering her head threateningly.

"I'll tell!" the boy screamed, moving to stand behind the Goblin King. "I was going to cut off the eyeballs!" he cried. "I wanted to take them back with me to prove I was really here! Then that thing came flying out of nowhere and tried to eat me!"

Again, Sarah pulled her head back, arching her neck gracefully with a look of distain in her eyes. '_Eat you?_' she thought. '_Eww. I don't think so. I'll burn you to a crisp, though_.'

"Highly unlikely, that," Jareth retorted cynically, glaring over his shoulder at the boy cowering behind him. He now fully understood why Sarah had acted as she had, she had been defending the labyrinth. He found himself indebted to her, and wasn't quite sure how to address that issue. "Return to the mountains," he commanded Sarah. "Until sunset, that is."

Having permission to leave and enjoy the rest of her day, Sarah gather herself and launched into the air. Gaining altitude on powerful wings, she roared exuberantly as she flew across the labyrinth, heading east towards the mountains.

Jareth turned to the boy, faced with a dilemma that he'd never had to deal with before. The boy had brought a weapon into the labyrinth, and something told Jareth that this wouldn't be the last time he'd have to face this challenge. The mortals were changing their way of living Aboveground, their children weren't so innocent as they once were, bringing danger into his realm along with their dreams. '_Perhaps Sarah would have an idea for this problem_,' he thought whimsically, glancing into the sky to see her flying off in the distance.

"I think you should give me my brother back just for having a dragon attack me!" the boy demanded.

"You think that, do you?" Jareth responded, smirking at the boy with amusement. "I think you should have read the book with just a bit more attention. It clearly states that there are dangers untold, dragons included." He turned his back from the boy, magically picking up the switchblade from the ground. "You have eleven hours to complete the labyrinth and reach the castle beyond."

"Eleven! I just got here!" the boy declared exasperatedly.

"Yes, eleven." Jareth stated evenly, looking down at the boy. "I've taken two hours from you for carrying a weapon in my kingdom, and threatening my subjects. You would do good to hand over any other instrument you may have upon you before you continue."

"That's all I got with me," the boy stated. "I just got it yesterday from my uncle."

"And now it's mine," Jareth informed him in a sing song voice, disappearing before the boy's eyes.

"That's not fair!" the boy shouted into the air. "I want that back when I beat this fucking thing! Do you hear me?!" the boy turned around within the corridor and glared at the eyeballs that watched him from the wall. "What the fuck are you looking at?!" he yelled at them, and made the biggest mistake of his life as his foot struck out and kicked the cluster, scattering them to the ground.

XxXxX

The vibrant colors of sunset illuminated the throne room as Sarah entered on foot, her skirt swished around her legs as she walked. She had eventually learned how to change herself back to human form without having to fall asleep, and waking up in the Goblin King's bed with nothing but a sheet covering her. He had tried to embarrass her at first, making subtle innuendos while suggestively twirling her hair around his fingers. But, she refused to give him the satisfaction of destroying the bliss she felt at having her dreams at her fingertips, and pretended that his advances fell on naive ears.

They had become friends of some sort over time. She always dined with him for the evening meal, and often joined him for a game of chess, or the like, in the library. Their conversations were usually light and interesting, though they had occasionally turned heated when she simply disagreed with his logic on a particular topic. So far, she had managed to live up to his expectations of her, as far as she knew anyway, and adeptly knew when to avoid him when he was in a foul mood, keeping herself out of trouble.

Until this day, when she had interfered with a wisher, the number one rule he had bestowed upon her for keeping her in his kingdom. She stopped before the throne with great trepidation, she had no idea what kind of punishment he would set upon her. She silently watched as Jareth idly amused himself with the boy's switch-blade, flicking his wrist to pop out the cheaply made alloy, only to retract it again. Apparently he had been sitting there repeating this for some time.

"Your actions this morning greatly surprised me, Sarah," he stated evenly, his focus still on the weapon in his hands.

"He was going to hurt a part of this place," she replied defensively. "I couldn't let him get away with that!" She took a half step closer as she pleaded on her own behalf. "I live here, too. This is my home as well as yours, and every other living thing here." She waved her arm grandly in a circle for emphasis. "And I know I'm not supposed to interfere, but…"

"I've decided to grant you a wish for your generosity." He interrupted before turning his attention towards her. Her selfless act towards the labyrinth required recognition, granting her a wish seemed the best solution, though he was fully aware that she could wish to return Aboveground. "Anything you desire shall be yours for defending the labyrinth this morning."

"I'm not in trouble?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Surely not," he stated agreeably.

"I want a snack fest," she declared after a mere second's consideration.

"A what?" he asked, swinging his legs around to sit forward upon the cushions. His expression wrinkled with absolute confusion at never hearing of such a thing.

"A snack fest," she repeated. "I want hot pizza with melted cheese and pepperoni, a big bag of barbeque chips, a two liter bottle of soda, and a gallon of chocolate ice cream with fudge and sprinkles!"

"I grant you anything you want, and you wish for food?" he demanded incredulously, despite his earlier foreboding. "Junk food at best!"

"Have you ever '_had'_ a pepperoni pizza?" she asked indignantly, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Surely not!" he exclaimed with disgust. He'd seen his goblins tearing at those things many times, and the thought of having one anywhere near his mouth was simply horrid.

"Then, you wouldn't understand," she affirmed.

XxXxX

Jareth readily granted Sarah her wish, even succumbed to her request to eat the foul substance in his private chambers, after she pointed out that she wasn't sharing her prize with the goblins. Knowing that once they caught scent of the food she wouldn't be safe anywhere but in his presence, he gave in to her request.

He watched with an expression of disgust as she tackled the thing with no more grace than the very goblins she was hiding from, shoving a quarter of the tip of pie slice into her mouth while making extremely obnoxious, and arousing, noises of pleasure as she chewed with her eyes closed.

"Must you make those noises while you eat?" he finally asked, when she reached into the box for another slice, lounging on the opposite side of his bed with his back propped on high pillows.

"I can't believe how much I missed this," she answered, still gnawing on a mouthful of the last slice. "I swear, I could eat this whole thing by myself!"

"That, I have no doubt," he replied dryly, entwining his fingers together upon his mid-section. "But, continue with less noise."

"Since when are you all mister manners?" she asked, pausing with her next slice at her lips to look at him. "We eat with our fingers all the time."

He shifted his eyes to hers, fixing her with his piercing gaze. "You will stay in my bed tonight, if you utter one… more… noise."

Her eyes flared mischievously, causing her to smirk, before sinking her teeth into an oversized bite of the slice in her hands. "Mmm," she groaned, rolling her eyes closed as the taste of melted cheese, sauce, and pepperoni filled her mouth.

He stared at her confoundedly. She had always bulked at his threats to make her sleep in his bed before, yet she was purposely tempting him to follow through with it this time. "You will not be granted one of my shirts, either." He informed her firmly.

"Wouldn't be the first time, Jareth," She mumbled with a mouthful, having the decency to cover her mouth with a hand. "I've woken up in this bed more times than I can count, why would me sleeping in here tonight be any different?"

"I never said anything about sleeping," he replied, his tone dropping suggestively. She stopped chewing, her back became rigid as she snapped her head up to stare at him wide eyed. Jareth smiled at her knowingly.

"Oh." She lowered the half eaten slice back to the box, trying to chew what was in her mouth really fast. "That's not… that's not fair," she stated, swallowing in mid sentence. "You never threatened me like that before."

"You never enjoyed your meal so… amorously before," he countered in silky smooth voice.

She felt her face fill with a heated flush, traveling all the way down her neck, at his deep suggestive tone. He'd made mild advances upon her occasionally, but nothing she couldn't ignore or pretend to not understand. But, she also knew that he'd caught her more than once watching him, whether she was human or otherwise.

She found him very fascinating to watch, and him being attractive was an understatement. The way he moved with a natural grace was simply spell binding, and Sarah often had to stifle a laugh when he would break into a small dance step, moving his entire body to some unheard tune in his head. He was simply captivating. But that was one dream she was afraid to give into. She loved her life in the labyrinth, and was afraid that if she got too close to the king, then her dreams of being able to fly would stop. It was the last part of her innocence that she had left, something she was certain enabled her to dream with such vivaciousness.

"Is that your request?" she asked, knowing full well that it wasn't. Jareth was very careful of his demands and commands of her, only once using the word please towards her, and she had excused him of that being a request. He had simply wanted her companionship after dealing with a very difficult wisher. The girl had actually attacked him when he had stepped too close to her. Sarah had wanted to beat the living crap out of the girl when she had seen the marks on his face, though she never told him how defensive she had felt on his behalf.

"You know very well that it is not," he informed her irritably. "You were warned and purposely defied me." Something he regarded as a treat coming from Sarah. She very rarely spoke against him, or defied him in any way, which was absolutely infuriating when he knew she was more than capable of it. So many times her eyes had flashed dangerously with her ire, instantly preparing him for a well desired confrontation from her, only to leave him extremely disappointed when she had swallowed her temper and acquiesced to his command. Those were the times that Jareth was reminded exactly how much Sarah had grown, matured, in her world.

"You plan to make this very uncomfortable for me, don't you?" she asked, pushing the pizza box away, suddenly losing her appetite.

"Not at all," he replied, feeling regret for ruining her moment of joy for the other worldly food, though not enough to rescind his command. "Come, sit closer," he told her in a casual tone, patting the bedding near his side. "Bring your food with you, perhaps I'll try some of it after all."

Resigned, Sarah quietly moved the pizza box closer to the head of the bed, grabbing the bag of chips and the large bottle of soda, she then walked on her knees to the center, settling herself with crossed legs between Jareth and the pizza box. She purposely sat by his side, near his waist, with her back to his face, hoping that he really wasn't intending on making her sleep with him. Odd how it never bothered her to wake up next him, yet the thought of having to fall asleep with him being so close was very disturbing.

He raised a hand and idly played with her long hair, twining small locks between his fingers only to let her tresses slip through. He'd always been fond of running his fingers through her hair, and Sarah had never bothered to question or deny him the small fetish. "How do you manage to lay your hair flat and even?" he asked gently, wanting to relieve her of her defensiveness. "When every other living thing in this kingdom, including myself, possesses not one tamed strand of hair amongst us."

Sarah shrugged nonchalantly, knowing that he was trying to be amicable, which was very hard for him sometimes. "I don't know, maybe it's the berries I found on the far side of the labyrinth."

"Nothing grows on the far side of the labyrinth," Jareth remarked with a frown.

"Yea, it does," Sarah insisted mildly. "It's only a small area, but there's shrubbery, a few tree saplings, and some berry bushes. I found it the first time I flew as a dragon, who have very good instincts, by the way."

"Of that I'm aware," he replied distractedly, trying to place where she could have found growing life in the area she was referring to. "Are you certain you hadn't went beyond the borders?"

"Yes, I'm certain!" she responded defensively, scooting away from him to stand at the foot of the bed, turning back to face him. "I've never went beyond the borders! NEVER! Why do you insist that I purposely defy you when I don't!"

Jareth gazed upon her intently with a raised brow. '_She's completely agitated!_' he thought to himself with elation. Her breathing was erratic, her entire body flushed with her temper, her eyes flared darkly at him, and he hadn't seen her place her hands on her hips in that manner in such a long time, that it put a smirk of amusement on his face.

"You don't believe me, do you?" she asked incredulously. "Then, I'll prove it!" she declared. "Tomorrow morning, just before sunrise, fly with me and I'll show you where it is!" she stalked away from the bed, heading towards the door. "And I'm not staying in here with you if all your going to do is insult me and blame me for things I haven't even done!"

Undeterred, since he had magically locked the door, Jareth glanced curiously at the box of pizza. '_What is in that?_' he wondered, blaming the Aboveground food for her sudden erratic behavior.

Suddenly she spun on her heels, and strode towards his bed with purpose. "And I'm taking my food with me!" she declared, grabbing the bag of chips and the soda bottle. Jareth grabbed her wrist with quick reflexes when she reached for the pizza box, making her pause, but otherwise seemed to have expected this reaction from him.

"Join me upon this bed, and remain with me for the night, Sarah." It wasn't a question, there were no alternatives, he told her she was staying the night with him, and he had meant it. He released his hold of her expecting her to obey him without further argument, even though a small part of him hoped she gave him just a little more defiance, for the past few minutes had been delightfully entertaining.

She begrudgingly complied and plopped down on the bed, sliding closer to him before he had to tell her to do so, but not as close as she had sat before. Crossing her legs, she plopped the bag of chips within the folds of her calves and thighs, and opened the bag with gusto. After munching noisily on a handful of them, she gruffly grabbed the bottle of soda, and rested that on her ankle. Twisting the cap with zealousness, she squealed as the soda exploded and sprayed all over everything. Jumping from her seat, she knocked over the bag of potato chips, scattering them all over, as she climbed from the bed, almost knocking the pizza to the floor.

"Are you quite finished making a mess?" Jareth asked patiently from behind her when she had turned back to face the bed. Spinning around she met his amused gaze with a worried expression.

"I'm sorry," she stated in a small voice, still holding the fizzing bottle in her hands. "I forgot it was shaken up when I dropped it onto the bed. I didn't get you wet, did I?"

"No," he stated reassuringly, stepping around to the other side of his bed. "Luckily for you I am more than adept at having to jump out of the way when a mess is about to happen. I am the king of goblins, after all."

"Good thing, that," she whispered with relief, then frowned at the bottle in her now wet and sticky hands. She glanced through lowered lids to watch Jareth return to his former position on the bed, and frowned even more. "I'll go find some clean linens and clean up that mess."

"Don't bother," he told her simply. "There's still more than enough room for both of us to share."

Suddenly his kingly oversized bed didn't seem so oversized when she gauged that only about half of it hadn't been effected by her thoughtlessness. '_Damn_,' she thought, slowly returning to the bed, climbing up from the bottom to crawl along the center, closer to his side than she was comfortable with to avoid the soda spills. '_He's going to milk this for everything its worth, I just know it!_' She froze in place halfway from the foot of the bed, when she lifted her eyes to meet his. "What?" she whispered with uncertainty. She'd never seen that expression on his face before, and had no idea what it meant or what he was thinking. "What have I done wrong now?"

She stared at him with uncertainty in her eyes as she waited for him to answer her. The trouble was, he couldn't answer her right away from the reaction he was having by watching her crawl up the center of the bed towards him. The way her hips swayed, how her breasts strained against her restrictive blouse, how her back arched with every motion of her legs, and then she raised her face and looked right at him. It damn nearly knocked the breath from his lungs, but definitely made coherent speech a problem.

Jareth tentatively took a bite from the slice of pizza he had taken into hand, and chew it once, his expression showing exactly how much he didn't like it. With about as much grace as a goblin, he turned his head and spit it out onto the floor. "That is the most repulsive thing I have ever had in my mouth."

"Here wash out the taste with this," she stated, offering him the big bottle of soda. "If you don't mind that I've already drank out of it, that is." She was extremely amused by his sudden display of propriety. With all the meals they had shared, he had never once shirked at using his fingers, or talking with a mouthful of food, and even has been known to use his sleeve as a napkin! She found herself laughing out right at the wary look he set upon the dark, bubbling liquid.

To show good faith, Sarah removed the cap from the bottle and raised it to her lips. Tilting her head back, she guzzled down some soda, making a sour face when the fizz tickled her nose. "Damn, I really miss this stuff," she commented just before belching loudly. She blushed while covering her mouth. "Excuse me."

Jareth looked at her with surprise then laughed uproariously. "I will try some of that," he told her, putting out his hand for her to give him the bottle of soda. After chugging some himself, he got the strangest expression on his face as he stared at the offending bottle. "I think I've poisoned myself."

"Oh, you big baby, come here," She laughed, scooting closer on her knees to his side to pat him non too gently on the back a few times.

"Stop that!" he commanded, pushing her over onto her side with a wayward arm, his other hand clutching at his stomach. "I feel…" Suddenly, a belch louder than Sarah's erupted from his throat, throwing Sarah into a fit of laughter. "It seemed much more impressive when that happened to you," he commented lamely, eyeing the bottle of soda warily.

A small band of goblin guards rushed down the corridor to the kings private chambers. Raising their spears and axes, they were about to barge into his majesties room to defend him from the creatures that bellowed inside, when the uproarious laughter of the king and the dreamer were heard through the thick wood. Gazing at each other they slumped their shoulders dejectedly before returning to their posts.

Just over two hours later, the king's bed was littered with half emptied pizza boxes. Sarah was sprawled out on her back diagonally, strategically positioned in between and around said boxes with the empty soda bottle in the crook of one arm. Using Jareth's stomach as a pillow she contentedly gave in to sleep.

Their evening had been full of laugher and fun, in general. Jareth had been surprised to discover that he favored a variety of pizzas, though abhorred pepperoni. The horridness of the soda had passed as soon as the belching had begun, turning it into a belching contest with Sarah. He breathed deeply, feeling his stomach starting to complain about all the alien food in it. But, he hadn't had this much fun in a very long time.

Turning his head to the side he lazily raised a hand and brushed aside a strand of her hair from her face. "Why don't you ever ask me for anything?" he questioned quietly.

She took a deep waking breath, and shifted slightly to her side. "Because you give me everything I need."

"I've given you nothing," he argued pleasantly.

She raised her head to look up at him, her face still flush from all the excitement of their shared evening. "Then you take too much for granted, because I could live like this forever." She lay her head back down, closing her eyes with a sleepy sigh, never seeing the frown that marred Jareth's exquisite features.

"I want you to remain on the ground tomorrow," he informed her simply. "There's going to be high winds gusting throughout the kingdom, and I don't want you injured."

"Yes, Jareth," she whispered, slipping into sleep.

XxXxX

Jareth lounged lazily upon his throne in the main hall, bored out of his mind. Not only that but his stomach still protested all the soda he had consumed the night before, rumbling and gargling within his mid section.

He watched with disinterest as a grayish little bird with a long tail skittered across the floor in front of him, his horde of goblins in fast pursuit. They'd been chasing the thing for the better part of the morning, with no success of even getting close to catching it. He let his head fall backwards over the arm of his chair, hoping that someone would wish away a child just for something to do.

Sarah hadn't been in his room when he awoke soon after sunrise. Though he knew she hadn't taken to the skies, he otherwise had no idea where she had gone off to. He could use his crystal, he knew, but for the moment he relished in tormenting himself just by not knowing something. It was a rare treat for him since he usually was aware of most everything that was going on at any given moment. Which had gotten extremely boring after a time.

The little gray bird came swooshing past him once more, the horde following it, shouting uproariously at getting closer to it than they had managed before. Then the horde split in two groups, one half following the bird, as the other half ran around the other side of the throne. Jareth watched lazily as the little bird skid to a sudden stop, looked behind itself, then forward, realizing it's peril.

With a shake of it's feathers, and a flick of it's tail, the thing turned around and headed straight for the goblins racing towards it. But, as they closed in on the tiny thing, it began to grow in size, changing from a gray, long tailed bird into a brown and white chicken. The goblins stopped so suddenly that they fell into each other, watching as the chicken's legs grew longer and thicker under its plumping body. Veering off to the side, the strange bird raced to the other side of the throne room, it's wings enlarging to match its legs, while its body grew to the size of a boar.

The creature turned and fixed it's now ugly, big eyed face in the horde's direction, scratching it's foot along the stone intimidatingly. It stood taller than the king himself, with huge wings and big feet. A long neck protruded from a gray and black feathered body. The goblins turned and ran screaming, never before seeing such a thing! The ostrich gave chase, tirelessly keeping the goblins running around the city.

'_Well, at least I know where Sarah is_,' Jareth thought dryly. He should have realized that she wouldn't go far from the castle, or the city itself, since he had told her to remain on the ground. He rarely restricted her freedom of flying, but the few times that it had been necessary, she had always remained close to the castle, if not inside for the duration of the day.

He had somehow missed the opportunity to make her his, to have her by his side, to keep her for himself. It was his own fault, he realized. He should have been more demanding of her when she had awoken in his bed that first day. But he had been completely taken with her ability to dream herself into changing her very form, that he had allowed her freedom to do whatever she chose.

The labyrinth had given her the gift of living her dreams, while Jareth secretly hoped that he would be a part of those dreams. But she never came to him, for anything it seemed, unless he specifically called upon her. Even then, though her company was pleasant and enjoyable, she remained reserved and distant from him. Jareth found himself just as lonely with her living within his kingdom as he had been before her return. He simply couldn't be the tyrant and force himself upon her, no matter how much he wanted her for himself.

He suddenly had the feeling of being watched and opened his eyes. Rolling his head to the side, he saw the odd looking bird, Sarah, simply standing in the middle of the empty throne room watching him.

"Well?" he questioned with impatience. She remained unmoving, her green eyes, enlarged to fit her form, seemed to absorb him completely. She raised one foot and slowly, hesitatingly, stepped forward then stopped again. "What is it, Sarah?" he asked cautiously, having the feeling that something was wrong. Swinging his legs to face forward he was about to stand when the skies suddenly turned dark and a clap of lightening resounded like a canon.

Sarah jumped four feet sideways in fright, her wings flew open defensively, her eyes startled and wild, while honking some strange sound of alarm. Without another glimpse towards Jareth she ran for all she was worth up the stone steps towards her private chambers.

She changed back to her natural form after reaching the top of the steps. Leaning heavily against the stone wall, she held her stomach with both arms as she tried to catch her breath. She had no idea that ostriches were so attune to human, or close enough to human, emotions. She had been thoroughly entertaining herself chasing the goblins around, when she suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. The feeling of forgotten dreams, of lost hope, of an emptiness that nothing seemed to fill. She had followed it, finding herself standing before the king. The closer she had gotten to him, the stronger the feelings were. It left her weak in the knees, even in the form of an ostrich. It never occurred to her that he would be so lonely, wanting of companionship, just needing someone to be with him.

She wasn't sure what she had intended to do by stepping forward, but the sudden storm outside had taken care of any decision she may have had. Being startled, her instinct to run had been too overwhelming to ignore, and quite possible, a good thing. She entered her room, shielding her eyes from the gusts of wind blowing through the open windows. Rushing forward, she untied the rolled up tapestries, fastening them at the floor to block the high winds better. She turned around to find Jareth standing in her room.

"Why had you come before me, Sarah?" he asked with mid concern, noticing how she looked away from him uncomfortably.

"I… I don't know," she answered nervously, flitting around her room, fixing things that had been knocked over by the high winds. "I suddenly had this overwhelming feeling of… that something was wrong. But, it must have just been the storm I sensed." She paused in her movements to address him directly. "I didn't mean to run like that, but I can't always control overwhelming instincts of the creatures I become. The lightening really frightened me."

"You're sure that's all?" he asked skeptically. He hadn't seen her act this nervous around him since her first visit to his labyrinth, and even then, her behavior seemed different somehow.

"What else could it be?" she asked lightly with a shrug, smiling at him convincingly.

Only he wasn't convinced. If anything, her attempt to be casual gave him more reason to question her. He moved closer to her, studying her intently as he closed the space between them. "Sarah, since your return, have I given you reason to not trust me?"

"No," she answered quietly, staring up at him. "Why?"

"Because I get the distinct impression that you're lying to me, and I don't understand why."

"I… I don't like being an ostrich," she told him as a way to change the subject. "I think I changed back too soon, I still feel nervous and scared."

"Of that I'm sure. But, not because of the form you had chosen, but, perhaps what you felt instinctually while in that form. Am I right?"

She couldn't lie to him, he knew about shape shifting far better than she did. He knew she sensed his emotions, and he would know if she blatantly lied to him right now. She nodded her head, diverting her eyes to the side.

He stepped in closer, leaning over her to speak directly into her ear. "Remember what you felt, Sarah, the next time your soaring the skies in elation."

She turned her head to meet his gaze only to find him gone. In the short time she had taken to decide whether to go after him or not, she felt the shimmer of a mortal entering the kingdom, and the Labyrinth's deep sigh of the king's return. Knowing she wouldn't be dining with the king that evening, she felt both relieved and anxious of how to deal with this sudden situation she found herself in.


	3. Chapter 3

I want to thank everyone for the great reviews and fave adds. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. ~Kat~

* * *

The Magic Of Dreams

Chapter Three

She slept late the next morning, watching the sun rise from her bed with all it's vibrant colors shining through her window. Jareth's words had echoed in her mind most of the night, taunting her, tormenting her, daring her, to defy the king once again by rejecting him after knowing how he felt, how much he wanted her companionship.

She had cried for hurting him, ashamed of herself for not realizing how he looked upon her in a certain way since her return, how he had made advances so subtle that she was able to ignore them. She felt guilty for making Jareth; a proud, arrogant, and confident king, deny himself what he truly wanted while she continued to be happy living out her own selfish dream.

Then she had gotten angry. How dare he blame her for not knowing he wanted her companionship in such a way? She shared meals with him all the time. They played chess, and other various games of challenge and luck to share each other's company. He had never made his intentions known, had never commanded her to see him in that light, he had never even used the request she had allotted him. Not once had he tried to make her aware of his interest, or try to sway her to remain with him! So, why, should she feel guilty or ashamed for hurting him, when he's done nothing but hurt himself!

But, that way of thinking hadn't eased the heaviness in her heart, the indecision of what to do. Should she simply ignore his words, and fly out into the skies? Or should she go to him, and try to appease his loneliness by at least spending more time with him? He was a king, after all. He was proud, arrogant, self-assured, even cocky at times. He was used to having whatever he wanted come to him, not the other way around.

'_So the stubborn jackass sits in misery every day, waiting for me to come to him!_' she thought irritably, though without malice. Making up her mind, she tossed the blankets aside and left her bed. It was time to make some changes, but she refused to give up her dreams nor the king, there just might be a way to have both.

XxXxX

Jareth assumed his slouching position in the throne room, the numbness in his heart his constant companion. He would have thought his words would have had some sort of effect on her, but obviously he had been wrong. She had flown from the castle that morning, just as she always had, though a little later than usual, but, with no regard to him whatsoever. He had truly lost her. Tilting his head, he listened to the resounding wish that reached him magically. With his goblins all excited, he vanished from the throne room.

Returning to the labyrinth a few short minutes later with a mortal girl of no more than twelve, Jareth gave her one last chance to turn back, knowing that she wouldn't. There had been a few who simply refused to run the labyrinth, usually with foul language, and impossible suggestions of what he could do with the wished away child. But this girl wasn't one of those as she squared her shoulders with bravado, as most of them did.

"You have thirteen hours to solve my labyrinth, or your baby sis…ter…" he paused his intimidating spiel as a very small, green and yellow bird came to land upon his shoulder. He glared at it out of the corner of his eye, knowing that it was Sarah.

"Oh, a parakeet!" The girl cooed. "It's beautiful!"

"I'll give her to you," Jareth responded exuberantly. "Along with your sister, if you reach the castle within thirteen hours." The Sarahkeet squawked adamantly with indignation before flying off his shoulder towards the labyrinth.

"Really?" the girl asked, looking up at Jareth expectantly.

Jareth turned his annoyed gaze from the retreating bird back to the girl. "No," he answered flatly, then leaned against the tree for a more casual appearance for the girl's sake. "But, I'll give you a fairy, if you return home, and forget the baby."

The girl gasped with gleeful surprise. "Can I pick out one myself?"

"Of course," he answered with a winning smile. "They bite," he stated, feeling obligated to warn the girl.

"Oh, that's okay!" she replied excitedly. "My sister bites, too!"

Jareth smirked at her naivety. "Make your way down the hill to the labyrinth wall, and tell Hoogle to help you catch one."

The girl spun on her heels to run down the hill before the Goblin King changed his mind. "My very own fairy!" she yelled excitedly. "This is better than a little sister any day!"

XxXxX

Jareth was actually surprised when Sarah returned to the castle over an hour after he had sent the girl home with her caged fairy. She flew through the open stone window of the throne room, looking as though she might not make it to her destination by faltering towards the floor before suddenly flying upwards to once more land upon his shoulder.

"Am I supposed to be impressed by your waywardness?" he asked drawly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. Her entire body heaved breathlessly from her exertion, her beak gaped open wide for as much air as possible. Apparently she hadn't taken into consideration her smaller size compared to the distance she had flown. "Or do you simply think yourself exempt from my rules?"

Sarahkeet turned her head to look at him, tilting it sideways questioningly. "You were outside the boundaries of the labyrinth, Sarah," he informed her evenly, not sure if her defiance had been deliberate or accidental. She sidestepped higher on his shoulder, making small twittering noises while rubbing the top of her head against his neck. "I assure you," he stated in a deep tone, presenting a gloved hand for her to perch upon, holding her in front of his face. "That your apology would have been better received if you were a woman."

"But it won't matter," he continued informatively. "You've ignored one of my rules, Sarah, and in doing so, you must be punished." Sarahkeet bunched herself up, ready to take flight. "Ah, I think not," he told her, pinching her toes between his thumb and finger to keep her perched upon his hand. "Seeing how you're so affectionate in this form, I think I'll have you remain like this for a few days."

Sarahkeet squawked her indignance, flapping her wings agitatedly. "You would prefer something else?" he asked arrogantly, raising his arched brows questioningly. She quieted instantly, twittering softly at him. "That's what I thought." He tilted his head back slightly to regard her thoughtfully. "I have no intention of making myself understand anything you're saying, just so you know. Though, I find the sound of your voice quite pleasant, feel free to chatter on as much as you like."

He shifted his position upon the cushions of his chair, though his hand that Sarah was perched on remained unmoving. "Since you find it so appealing to rest upon my shoulder, I expect you to remain with me at all times, unless I command you otherwise, of course." He smiled wryly as she shook herself, rustling her feathers, though otherwise remained calm and quiet. "I wonder," he mused at her, placing his hand near his shoulder for her to flitter from one to the other. "If this was your intention all along." He turned his head to give her a sidelong glance from the corner of his eye. "Holding onto your dream to fly while trying to appease mine at the same time." He smiled fully when she turned around on his shoulder to present her back to him.

XxXxX

Another wisher was in the labyrinth, Jareth appeared around a bend in the tunnels to wait for the young fellow to amble along. Sarahkeet began squawking uproariously from his shoulder as soon as the boy's shadow was seen approaching. "That is construed as interfering with a wisher, you realize," he pointed out, looking at her from the corner of his eye. Sarahkeet became quiet instantly, tilting her head to look at him pointedly, then sidestepped closer to his neck. She grabbed a length of his hair with her beak, draping the few strands over herself, then settled down quietly.

He found it somewhat endearing how she felt safe by being closer to his neck under his hair. He would allow her this one indiscretion, since it seemed as though she honestly hadn't meant to be intrusive. He needed to remind himself that while in this form, she not only retained her own thoughts and conscience, but also the instincts of the bird she had taken the form of. Which, apparently was a high strung, skittish species with the ability for extremely loud, incessant squawking.

The boy slowly, cautiously, came around the bend welding a piece of wood he had found somewhere. He panicked when he saw the Goblin King, dropping the stick to the ground.

"You're time is up, William," Jareth informed him matter of factly.

"No, please," he pleaded. "Make me stay instead, let the baby go home!"

"That's not how it works. You know that."

"But you don't understand," the boy begged, stepping forward. "Tracy and Jeff tried so hard and waited so long to have a baby! This is all my fault! I was… I hated him for everything he got and I didn't!" William dropped to his knees, crying unabashedly. "I hated that I didn't get what I wanted for Christmas, or my birthday!" He raised his eye up to the Goblin King's. "It was my thirteenth birthday and I didn't even get a cake because the whole family helped pay for the tests and procedures!" He shuffled on his knees to get closer to Jareth, his face grimy and streaked with tears. "Please, Goblin King, please don't keep my cousin's baby! I swear, I'll never make another wish as long as I live!"

Jareth felt Sarahkeet trembling against the side of his neck, very low garbling noises coming from her throat. He already knew what his decision was going to be, he'd known since answering this summons, and he was about to show Sarah a side of him that she knew nothing about.

"I will hold you to that promise, William," he stated pointedly. Within the blink of an eye they were in the throne room, a goblin already standing by with the baby held out to Jareth. He took the infant, and smiled fondly at the little thing, then handed her over to the boy. "Never take anything for granted, William."

William took the baby and held her tightly against his chest, burying his face into the babe's chest. "Thank you," he cried, then looked up. "Thank you so much!" he lowered his head again to nuzzle his little cousin, and magically disappeared from the throne room.

"I'm not always as cruel as you think, Sarah," he remarked quietly, turning around to walk from the throne room. "Sometimes, all they need is a lesson learned." He strode down a long corridor, up a few steps, then down another hallway until he reached his chambers. "Find another place to perch for now," he directed, closing his bedchamber door. "I must rest for awhile. It tires me more when I must return the child." Sarahkeet left his shoulder and found an unlit candelabra on a table nearby to land on while Jareth all but passed out upon his bed, fully clothed, and above the blankets.

XxXxX

She had hated him so much for punishing her when all she was trying to do was be with him while living her dream. It wasn't her fault that her thoughts and memories flittered in and out at any given time as a parakeet. She'd seen Jareth standing on the hill, and he was all she had thought of. She was absolutely shattered when he told that little girl that she could take her home as part of the prize!

But, by the time she returned to the castle, she had forgotten all about being upset with Jareth. She had to land dozens of times to rest and regain her breath, let's face it, parakeets aren't exactly migrating birds, now are they? And the castle was a lot further away than she thought, especially for one so small.

When she had made it through the window, she had been overjoyed at seeing him sitting there. Then he informed her of how she had broken one of his rules. '_But I was flying to you!_' she had screamed at him. And then the punishment came. She had actually felt his magic consume her and transfix her to remain in this form until he deemed otherwise. Oooh, she had bristled with fury, giving him a good sizable piece of her mind! Until he threatened to think of some other way to punish her. With all things considered, being a parakeet wasn't really all that bad.

She found that perching near his neck, with his hair draped over her, was very calming. His scent was alluring, pleasant, and she liked breathing it in as much as possible. As for his hair, it felt like silk sheets caressing her. No, being a parakeet as punishment wasn't all that bad at all.

She had been completely beside herself, though, while they were in the tunnels with that boy. She wanted to beg on the boys behalf so badly, but knew better than to so much as make one little peep. And then he did the most unexpected thing, he let both the baby and the boy return home. Sarah had been completely stunned by his generosity, his understanding, his compassion. She had literally felt all those things from him as he magically returned them to the throne room and gave the boy back his little cousin.

She looked over at him sleeping upon his bed. He'd been so exhausted that he hadn't even laid down in a comfortable position, just lied there in the manner that he fell to the bedding. She wanted to turn back to herself and brush away the wayward hair from his face, move his arm to rest upon his stomach, so he would at least look comfortable. But he denied her that privilege.

She glanced out towards the window, hearing other birds calling each other and singing a beautiful song. Curious, she flew over to land on the stone ledge to look outside. She answered a couple of the birds that flew nearby, and had the sudden urge to go fly with them. She spread her wings, and was about to take flight when her conscious mind kicked in, stopping her in the nick of time.

She must remain with him, or there would definitely be hell to pay! She contented herself to simply chat with a few other birds as they flew by, until a large shadow blocked the sun. She squawked in rapid succession, turning tail and flying into the chamber away from the window. But, it was too late, the hawk had seen her and came in the window after her.

She squawked and fluttered this way and that to avoid the talons that reached for her. But the hawk was bigger, faster, and Sarah was having trouble staying in the air at all! She headed towards an armoire, hoping to get behind it before the hawk caught her, when suddenly the bird of prey vanished into thin air. Sarah landed on the smooth surface of the dresser, sliding and flapping her wings to not fall off the other side, before finally coming to a stop.

"I suggest you stay away from the windows," Jareth called to her wearily, then let his eyes close once more.

Sarah didn't have to be warned twice, and decided to perch upon one of his fingers as he slept, taking a much needed nap herself.

XxXxX

"There must be something edible on this table for you to eat," Jareth was saying to Sarahkeet at the dining table. "Go find it."

She fluttered from his shoulder down to the table, and began pecking at the bread on his plate.

"That doesn't include '_my'_ food," he remarked evenly. She turned her head and squawked at him indignantly in rapid succession. He raised an arched brow curiously and reached for her with his hand. Her indignant squawking instantly turned to alarm as his fingers wrapped around her back and wings. She grabbed his pinky finger with a foot while pulling at his glove with her beak. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned deep and threateningly.

She instantly let go of his glove, and let her head fall backwards, turning it from one side to the other as though searching for something interesting to look at. Jareth felt how harshly her heart beat within the tiny body, how she breathed so erratically from the slightest thing.

"Why would you make yourself so small?" he asked her rhetorically, gaining her full attention. "Of all the things you can change into, why did you pick such a defenseless creature?"

He studied her intently with a thoughtful frown. She took a very deep breath, and settled herself within his grasp before chirping pleasantly in a tuneless, melodic way. Her comfortable posture did not go unnoticed by him. It also hadn't gone unnoticed how she had rested on his hand while he slept, choosing to be as close to him as possible. Though, he was certain that her choice in resting place had been decided after being hunted by a hawk.

With a small gesture of his other hand, and a simple thought, a bowl of tiny little seeds appeared next to his plate on the table. Turning his hand so that she could perch upon the rim of the bowl, he released his hold of her. He frowned as she literally dove into the bowl, flapping her wings to scatter the seeds all over everything, then proceeded to pick at certain seeds from the bottom.

"Sarah," he called to her in a monotone voice, repeating her name when she didn't respond to him at all. Being driven with curiosity, he reached into the bowl only to have her squawk adamantly in fear, and take off to fly around the room, coming to rest upon the hilt of a sword displayed over the fireplace. He magically allowed himself to understand the chirpings and various noises she was making only to jump to his feet in alarm, he sensed no trace of Sarah's thoughts at all!

Striding across the room with brisk steps, he suddenly caught a human thought, though jumbled and distorted, it was Sarah's none the less. '_Danger… I must…food… shoulder_.' Without hesitation Jareth magically released her from his punishment, easily catching her small form within his hands as she limply fell from her perch. He was halfway across the room to leave, not wanting to use magic to get to his chambers, when she stirred within his palm.

'_Jareth!_' she screamed, though outwardly her voice was the same squawking sounds she always made. '_Jareth! Jareth!_' Flapping her wings wildly in a panic, Jareth carefully cupped his other hand over the first so she wouldn't fall, or take flight in her panic. "_Gloves, hands, Jareth_." She immediately calmed down. '_I'm in trouble again, I just know it_.' she stated, her bird sounds were little twitting noises, mixed with a low garbled sound.

He uncapped his hands to peer down at her. "I've removed my magic from you," he told her softly, his voice still strained from the scare she had given him. "Change yourself back quickly."

Without hesitation she flew from his hand, circling halfway around the room before changing into… a macaw parrot. Continuing her flight, she then grew in size to an eagle, then swooped down towards the floor, landing on human feet. She stumbled, caught herself, then stumbled again. By the time she would have either fallen or remained afoot, Jareth had her protectively in strong arms.

"I would've never bound you in that form if I had known you would forget yourself, Sarah."

"I… I don't think I like being a parakeet, either," she stated in a trembling voice, letting him hold her while she tried to keep her composure. "I knew that I was forgetting, and I couldn't do anything about it." She peered up at him almost accusingly. "You didn't give me the chance to tell you about the limited memory of a parakeet!" She laid her forehead against his chest again. "I knew I should have changed before entering the castle, I just knew it." Again, she met his gaze as she looked up. "And I didn't go beyond the border on purpose! I saw you standing there, and… and I just forgot everything else. The next thing I knew you were bartering me off to that little girl!"

He closed his eyes as he held her, letting her words sooth an inner part of him. '_She thought of nothing but me_,' he thought remorsely. '_And I punished her for it_.' He contemplated the reason for her forgetfulness while breathing in the scent of her. The labyrinth had gifted her with the ability to fulfill her dreams to fly, and his magic had nearly destroyed her humanity. Something he was certain was a protective measure for the girl. "Are you well enough for a little more magic? I'll take you to your room for you to rest."

"No, that's okay," she replied, stepping back from him. "I'll walk if it's all the same to you."

"Sarah, you haven't your clothes, again."

"So? It's not the first time I've walked through this castle naked, I'm sure it won't be the last."

One of his long coats magically appeared in his hands, and he draped it around her shoulders. "Perhaps we should extend your wardrobe throughout the castle as well, then," he stated tightly, pulling the folds to lap over each other at her chest. "Because I am not as immune to seeing you undressed as you obviously believe me to be."

He led her towards the door with a hand to the small of her back while Sarah contemplated what he had just said. "Well, what about all those times I woke up in your room?"

"Pure hell, if you must know."

"Then why didn't you just send me to my own room?"

"I didn't want to," he stated curtly.

"You make absolutely no sense sometimes."

"Neither do you," Jareth countered.

XxXxX

Sarah tossed and turned deep into the night before she couldn't take it any more and got out of bed. Pacing her room with apprehension, she wrung her hands in front of her with indecision. Something wasn't right, she could feel it in her bones, in the very air. She wanted to go to Jareth, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not. He did tell her that she could go anywhere she wanted within the castle, and she'd been in his room countless of times, but never in the middle of the night nor without an invite.

She glanced worriedly out the window. '_Maybe I can change, and just peek in on him_,' she thought, nodding her head with resolve. Moving towards the open space in the wall, she adeptly changed her form into a night bird that was bigger than a parakeet, yet not so big as to disturb him with fluttering wings in his room.

Soaring out through her window, she headed towards Jareth's room, knowing where his windows were by pure instinct. Reaching the first of several that lined his rooms, she quietly soared towards it for a smooth landing. Hopping near the inner edge of the window, her instincts suddenly warned her of danger. Turning her head around she saw a great bird of prey heading straight for her!

She was in the air instantly, fluttering into Jareth's room as the bigger bird followed her inside. Learning from her previous bout with being hunted, she changed herself into human form to cower against the wall as the other bird's wings flapped close by.

"I would think that you would learn to not choose such small forms to fly in by now," Jareth remarked dryly, suddenly standing close to her.

Sarah removed her arm from covering her face to look up at him as realization came to her. "That was you?" he quirked his brow in response. "Oh," she breathed with relief, leaning back against the wall to breath freely. "I had no idea what was coming at me," she informed him. "All I knew was that it was bigger and capable of eating me."

"Yes, well, perhaps you'll choose your species with more care in the future," he commented, then walked away from her. "Is there a reason for your flying into my chambers rather than using the door?"

"Oh, yea," she replied with remembrance. "I couldn't sleep. I kept having this feeling that something was wrong, so I just wanted to… '_see you_'…make sure everything was okay." She pushed away from the wall to follow him as he moved about his room. "But I didn't want to bother you if you were asleep, so I figured flying in the window wouldn't wake you up."

"So, you were intent on peering on me, were you?" he asked in a velvet voice with a knowing tone. "Do you miss lying by my side at night?"

"No, I just…" She stopped herself from saying anything more, before she said too much. It had been awhile since she woke up next to him, maybe she did miss that comfort and didn't realize it. "I never felt this apprehensive before," she told him. "Is there something wrong out there?" she asked jutting her chin towards the windows.

Jareth raised both elegant brows and shook his head slowly. "Not a thing is out of place," he assured her, stepping towards her. "In fact, I had just flown over most of the kingdom, and it seems that the only creature that is restless… is you."

"Oh," she whispered, lowering her gaze to the floor with a frown. She was confused and tried sorting it out in her mind. Why did she feel like something was wrong if everything was okay? Was it just her? Did she miss being near him so much that it would make her apprehensive? She raised her face to look up at him, suddenly realizing that the feeling of wrongness was completely gone.

Jareth stepped forward, raising a hand to gently cup the side of her face. "Stay with me," he stated in a suggestive tone. It was neither commanding or authoritive, but spoken softly as a… request. "I'm sure you'll sleep more soundly by my side than alone in your room."

She closed her eyes, letting his hand caress her face. His skin was so smooth, his touch calming and gentle. She already felt herself growing heavy with sleep just being this close to him, feeling secure, comforted, warm. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to clear her vision. "Is that a request?"

His expression changed, hardened slightly, the second her question left her lips. His hand fell immediately to his side, and he turned away from her. "No, it is not a request," he replied, his tone having a sharp edge to it. "I've told you that you will know clearly when I make my request of you."

She bit at her lower lip with regret. Why couldn't she simply have stayed as he asked without making it a formality? With bowed head, she stepped to the bed and climbed upon the soft bedding, slipping under the blankets in the space she always awoke in. She rolled over to her right side, facing away from him when he would finally join her, and closed her eyes. She had a feeling sleep would evade her completely this night.

Jareth watched her closely as she looked away from him, her eyes full of regret as she settled upon his bed. Did she not mean to ask that particular question? Had she been trying to make light of a situation that she found uncomfortable? He glanced unseeingly around his room, wondering how she could be so casual around him one moment, then rely on his authority as king for her to obey him the next.

But she was closer to him than she realized, bound to him magically if by no other means. Jareth knew full well what had caused her apprehensive feelings, but his answer would have upset her too greatly to tell her. She had felt his unease while he was soaring the night skies. Her self chosen form of flying creatures had obviously opened her to sense him while he was in his magical form. Finding her about his room upon his return had been a delightful surprise. Delightful, that is, until she explained herself.

He removed his clothing and slipped under his blankets on the far side of his bed, resting his head to his pillow while stiffly lying on is back. With a small gesture of his hand, and a simple thought, he extinguished the candles within his room, allowing the light of the moon to create shadows and dark corners.

"I didn't mean to ask that," she whispered softly in the dark, her voice tight with emotion. "I only wanted to know if you were asking me or commanding me to sleep in here tonight. I knew it wasn't your request to fulfill our deal."

"Would it have mattered?" he asked, his tone still sharp. He cringed slightly at the harshness in his own voice.

"No," she whispered quietly. "I would have stayed without your command. I need to be near you and I don't know why. I've been feeling like this for awhile, but it's getting stronger. That's why I've been choosing smaller forms lately, so I can be near you."

"And yet you continue to fight me, why?"

"I don't," she replied, rolling over to look at him in the dimness. "I try to follow your rules, your commands."

"Why is that, I wonder, when you possess such a spark of defiance."

She was quiet for a long moment before speaking again, trying to decide whether to tell him her true feelings or not. "Because I don't want to go back," she finally stated, rolling back to her side to peer into the darkness with moist eyes.

"Move closer to me," he commanded.

She turned her head to look back at him with fear filled eyes, suspecting why he wanted her closer, and afraid that being with him was truly what she wanted as well.

"What is it that you fear of me, Sarah?" he asked sincerely, perplexed by her reluctance to let him be near her intimately.

"I can't have both," she answered, causing Jareth to frown. "I want to love you, really I do. But, I feel so free when I fly high above the labyrinth, and I can't have both. If I fall in love with you, I'll never fly again. But, I can fly and still be with you, too."

"How have you come to such a ridiculous thing as that?" he demanded to know in a stern voice, raising himself to a half sitting position to brace himself upon his arm. Sarah simply stared at him dumbfounded. "Have I not promised you '_all_' your dreams?" he asked her harshly, letting his anger and frustration of years come to the surface. "Have I not questioned you as to why you never ask me for anything?" he shifted onto his knees, the blankets wrapping around his hips of their own accord as he leaned across the bed to address her directly. "Why, Sarah," he asked in a pleading tone. "Would you think your dreams would be taken from you for loving me?"

"I thought that was the way it would be," she answered uncertainly, shifting to meet his gaze directly. "You didn't promise me anything to come back this time. You let me stay because I took Mikey's place when Tina lost. You've let me live my dream everyday, and I wasn't going to ask you for anything else, ever!"

"Oh, you stupid girl," he chastised in a gentle tone. "Haven't you realized that it's not by my magic that you change your form and live your dream? That, has been granted to you by my labyrinth." He searched her eyes for understanding, hoping that after all this time, all his patience and heartache, that she would finally open herself to him.

"What if I can't dream anymore if I… if we…" She took a harrowing breath and closed her eyes. "That's the only thing I haven't done in order to grow up," she informed him in a whispered voice. "I don't want to lose my dreams, Jareth." She broke into tears, covering her face with her hands. "But, I can't lose you, either!"

He silently moved from the bed, watching as she slumped in tearful remorse, sobbing freely in her turmoil. Magically clothing himself, he stepped to her side of the bed and joined her upon the bedding, placing a gentle hand upon her shaking shoulder. "You've fought so long, so hard, to keep what you believe in," he whispered in a soft voice, gathering her in a comforting embrace.

She turned into him, pooling on his strength, his comfort, the security he offered as she cried at not knowing what to do, what to feel. "I don't know what to believe in anymore," she cried. "I soar the skies feeling free with no restraints, no boundaries, and all I can think of is finding you. I watch you every day, wanting to be closer but afraid of how you make me feel when I get too close."

He placed two fingers under her chin to urge her to lift her head. She sniffled and raised her face from his shoulder. "Come with me. Let me show you what your dreams have done to my kingdom." He carefully removed himself from her, reaching for her hand from the side of the bed. "I want you to soar the skies with me, Sarah. Choose your dragon form, for we have a great distance to cover."

Swallowing the saltiness in her throat, she sniffled as she took his hand, and stepped from the bed. "But, you won't be able to keep up with me if I'm a dragon," she told him with heartfelt innocence.

Jareth chuckled at her naivety. "Do you honestly think that I am limited to only an owl as my magical form?"

She diverted her gaze thoughtfully. "I guess not," she replied. "I've only seen you as an owl, I just…"

"Took it for granted that an owl is the only choice I have?" he asked with mild amusement. He stepped away from her and moved to the center window. It's arch was higher than the others, and wider by half. He lithely jumped up upon the thick sill, then turned to offer his hand to assist her. Placing her hand in his, she was suddenly standing in front of him, his arms holding her close. "There was never another to claim my attentions," he admitted as she stared up at him expectantly.

"I knew that," she replied with a warm smile. "You're eyes change when you try to lie."

"Do they now?" he questioned lightly. She nodded, allowing herself to be close to him for the first time. "Well, that would explain why you completely disregarded most of my punishing threats. And here I thought you were simply being defiant."

She tilted her face ever so slightly to the side, her eyes filling with wonder. "You like when I defy you, don't you?"

His expression softened, his eyes displaying a longing from deep within him. "Forever is such a long time, especially when every creature listens to every command." He rested a finger under her chin. "Your defiance is what drew me to you, your beauty entranced me, and your will is as strong as my own. We're evenly matched, you and I."

He held her head in place with his forefinger when she would have turned her gaze away from him. Slowly, he dipped his head to the side, lowering it to align his lips with hers. With bated breath and closed eyes they each leaned into the other, their lips met with feathered gentleness.

Sarah opened her eyes as he pulled back to peer down at her. She felt an all consuming heat flood her entire body from his brief kiss, her heart pounded erratically, her breathing uneven, her palms felt sweaty. Jareth held her gaze, reveling in the overwhelming sense of possession. She was his, finally and without recourse. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, his blood coursed hotly through his veins, his throat was suddenly dry with the need of her.

"Would you soar with me," Jareth asked. "Across the expanse of the labyrinth?"

"Of course."

She stepped back and watched as he plunged off the edge of the sill, gracefully changing his form from limbs and cloth to a majestic dragon of scales and claws. His scales were the color of gold, the underside of his wings splashed of purple and shades of red. He bore two deadly horns upon his cranium, and his eyes were mismatched blue and vibrant with magic. Sarah licked at dry lips doubting very much that she appeared so graceful while changing her form, or looked so sleek and beautiful as he cut the air with his powerful wings. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and stepped from the edge to follow Jareth's lead.

They soared side by side, occasionally playing air aerobics when Sarah would suddenly shoot straight up into the darkened sky, then twirl in spirals as Jareth tried to grab her tail with his teeth or talons. Their resounding roars of delight echoed throughout the kingdom, waking most of the inhabitants, and frightening them enough to hide in the tunnels of the oubliette.

With the far border of the labyrinth quickly approaching, Sarah had a feeling she knew where he was leading her. He must have believed her about finding growing life in this area, and had come to see for himself. Either that or he hadn't believed her, and found out first hand that she had told the truth. The pair gracefully landed upon the flats of the mountain, Jareth stepping forward in his human form while Sarah remained standing as a dragon.

"There's no danger here," he reassured her, assuming she hadn't changed in order to guard him with her keen senses.

'_I can't change again once I'm a dragon_,' she thought to him, knowing he would hear and understand her. '_Even though I used this form for only a short time, I won't be able to use any other form but my own until sunrise tomorrow._'

"So, you do have limitations," he remarked openly, as though he had often wondered about that, which he had.

'_Apparently, yes. Though I don't get it. I can be a dragon all day long, yet if I try to switch to something else midday, or even a few short hours, I simply end up being myself._'

"Why haven't you mentioned this to me?" Sarah pulled her head back on her sleek neck to look down at him as though he were daft. "Right, that would be asking too much of my generosity," he replied for her with a frown. "Well, I insist that you change to your true form," he announced airily. "I will not converse what I have to say as you are currently."

Sarah turned toward the edge of the cliff face, and sprung into the air. Gliding higher and higher before circling around to make her landing. Reaching the edge, she put out her legs, changing herself to land clumsily on her human feet. Jareth grabbed a flailing arm to prevent her from falling. "I'm still working on that maneuver," she told him with slight embarrassment.

"At least you've learned to keep your clothes with you," he remarked, fixing the strap of her nightgown upon her shoulder. She smirked with a small shrug. "Do you recognize where we are?"

"Of course," she answered readily. "This is the place that I told you I found berries to eat, and you told me that nothing grew here." She folded her arms cockily across her chest, looking back at Jareth indignantly. "You didn't believe me, did you?"

"Of course not," he answered with a light chuckle. "Nothing has grown this close to the border in centuries." He took her hand and led her closer to some thickets, picking a purplish bud from a thistle. "This is your doing, Sarah," he explained in a kind voice, handing her the bud.

"How is it my doing?" she asked curiously. "It's not like I pollinate seeds and things from one place to another."

"Oh, but you do," he told her with enthusiasm. "Every time you dream, every day while flying throughout the kingdom, you have spread the magic within the gift the labyrinth has given you." He placed his hands upon her shoulders, peering into her emerald eyes with sincerity. "I haven't the desire to bring renewed life to the barren lands of my kingdom, but you have. You saw nothing in the outstretches of the kingdom, and imagined it full of life." He reached for the hand that held the bud. "This, is what your dreams have done."

"But, I don't remember wishing for berries or shrubs," she stated, frowning slightly with contemplation.

"This is not a wish, Sarah. This is what comes from the magic of dreams." He stepped away from her to overlook the landscape below, spreading his arms out wide as he exclaimed. "My entire kingdom, the labyrinth, the castle, the city, all of it was born from dreams!" He turned back to her, recapturing her shoulders in his hands, his eyes lit with exhilaration. "This is your proof that you shall never lose your dreams for as long as you live within my kingdom."

"But, what do I have to do in return for this gift?" she asked cautiously.

"You're already doing it," he answered with a smile. "Simply continue dreaming, and the labyrinth will continue giving you magic."

"Then… I can dream and fall in love, too?" she asked again, wanting to make sure she understood him correctly. "I can have both dreams?"

"Yes, isn't magic beautiful?" he beamed at her with a brilliant smile.

She returned his radiant smile, unabashedly flinging her arms around his neck. "I was so scared," she admitted into his neck. "I didn't know what to do!"

"I'd think learning to trust in me, and telling me about your conflict, would have alleviated much discord." He gently pried her arms from his neck to hold her at arms length. "I would have been able to explain everything to you so much sooner if I had known."

"I'll try to come to you more often with my questions," she promised amicably. "Does this mean I'll be sharing your room from now on?" she asked, biting her lips with anxious uncertainty. She wanted to be with him, be close to him, but unsure of herself in that regard.

"Of course," he answered simply, frowning at her. "Do you honestly think I've tortured myself with your company at every given opportunity for you to remain in a separate room when you finally accept me?"

"I guess not," she answered with sudden shyness. "But, I've never…"

He saw the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, and placed a finger at her lips. "You've never experienced the effects of love making before, I know." He smiled almost devilishly. "But, I have a feeling you will be most demanding once you've had a taste."

"You're really that confident in yourself, aren't you?" she quipped with awe in her voice.

"I'm that confident in how it feels being close to you, and the wondrous things we can share together."

She dipped her head shyly for a brief moment then met his gaze once more. "I like how you make that sound."

"I have but one thing to ask of you before we return to my castle," he informed her, suddenly seeming unsure of himself as Sarah patiently waited for him to continue. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, caressing the side of her face with his finger as his hand retreated to his side. "Love me," he whispered in an emotional voice. "Fear me…"

Sarah placed her fingertips over his lips to stop him from saying more. "That's a request that shouldn't be spoken," she told him with firm resolve, then her eyes softened. "Besides, I've already dreamed of being with you forever," she whispered, reaching out to snake her fingers around the sides of his neck. "Show me what wondrous things you dream of, Jareth."

His lips met hers with a shaky breath as she pressed herself up against him. Both of them consumed by suppressed desires as the brilliant rays of sunrise streaked the morning skies.

* * *

A/N: I don't think I'd do this justice to drag it out any further than this. So, this is the end. But the next time you see a bird flying around in swirls and twirls... think of what a little magic can do! And I'd like to thank the little birds that play and fly happily in front of my house, they were the inspiration for this story.


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